Lock-buckle



(No Model.)

M. W. LYNCH.

LOOK BUCKLE.

No. 573,093. Patented Dec. 15, 1896.

17 I m w UNITED STATES PATENT OFErcE.

MATTHENV W. LYNCH, OF MADISON, WISCONSIN.

LOCK-BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 573,093, dated December15, 1896. Application filed December 80, 1892. Serial No. 456,818. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATTHEW W. LYNCH, of Madison, in the county of Daneand State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Lock-Buckles; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andto the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention has for its object to improve the construction of thelock buckle described in the patent granted to me on the 27th day ofSeptember, 1881, No. 247,507, whereby the manufacture of the same isfacilitated and the strength and durability of the buckle increased.

To this end the invention consists in certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will benow described, and pointed out particularly in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective viewof a buckle embodying my present invention. Fig. 2 is a similar viewwith the parts separated. Fig. 3 is a view, looking atthe rear side ofthe buckle, with the locking-bolt projected and the strap removed. Fig.4C is a transverse sectional view.

Like letters of reference in the several figures denote the same parts.

Buckles of the character to which this invention is particularlyapplicable are designed especially for use in confining human beings,usually insane persons, and hence should be neat, smooth to the touch,and have no projecting portions liable to be broken, and, further, thelocking mechanism must be entirely concealed within the body of thebuckle. These desirable qualities were attained in the buckle heretoforepatented to me, but practical use has demonstrated that the ends aimedat were attained at a sacrifice of strength and economy in manufacture,inasmuch as the solid block employed for the entire body of the bucklenecessitated expensive boring and broaching, and where the pivot for thetongue passed through the sides or ears they Were of necessity muchweakened in order to-insert a pivot of sufficient diameter to hold thetongue. Vith a view to overcoming thesedifiiculties I now strike thebuckle-frame A up from sheet-steel or other suitable metal into theshape shown clearly in Fig. 2 and form in it transverse openings at ateach side for-the passage of the lockingbolt B, together with openings 0for the re-' ception of rivets to hold the parts of the lock togetherand openings 0 for the attachment of the strap.

In the ears 0 at each side are formed relatively small openings 0' forthe reception of the reduced ends d of the pivot D for the tongue. Thispivot must be of rather large diameter throughout the portion passingthrough the tongue, but by forming the body of sheet metal the ears maybe sprung over the reduced ends, and when said ends are headed up thepivot serves to stiffen and brace the frame, and, further, prevents anypossibility of the pinching or binding of the tongue.

The tongue itself (lettered E) is similar to that described inmy'before-mentioned patout, and hence needs no specific description.

Within the frame A is fitted a tumbler case or block F, having atransverse channel f milled in its' under face and registering with theopenings d for the reception of the locking-bolt. This case or block, itwill be seen, can be dressed, bored, and milled before its insertion inthe frame, and, if desired, may be made of brass or metal more easilyworked than that of the frame, by reason of which expensii c broachingfor the channel and intricate boring is entirely avoided.

The tumbler-pins g are inserted, as usual, and adapted to work in theopenings provided for them in the bolt and block, respectively, as shownin the sectional View.

In addition to the usual tumblers ll provide the bolt D with aspring-pressed pin or tumbler G, which, when the bolt is pushed along tounlocked position, springs out on the 5 outside of the frame andprevents the bolt from moving inward until the pin is pressed in by thefinger. Thus the bolt cannot become accidentally locked.

The complete tumbler case or block is held I00 in place by rivets h,passing through the same and through the frame A, thus making thestructure rigid, but to insure the greatest strength the locking-bolt,when in locked position, has its ends confined within the openings inthe frame A with the end faces flush with the outside surface of theframe.

To limit the longitudinal movement of the locking-bolt, a slot 2' isformed in the frame and a screw t" passed through the same and into thebolt.

In attaching the strap to the buckle it is preferably bifurcated and onearm passed along back of the buckle, Where it is held by a screw K,While the other arm is riveted to the end of the frame below the blockF, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and The construction of the buckle, itWill be seen, is greatly cheapened and its strength increased, at thesame time maintaining all the desirable qualities before mentioned, andwhich practical use has shown are essential to the success of thedevice.

In use, of course, the free end of the strap is passed beneath thetongue, which is then turned down with the, projection passing throughan opening in the strap and into the recess in the body of the buckle.Then the locking-bolt is moved across behind the projection, and thetumblers entering their seats hold the same until the bolt is moved outby the insertion of a key. As in the former device;a straight inwardpush on the key moves the tumblers out and slides the bolt to openposition, thereby releasing the tongue and allowing the strap to bedisengaged.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In alock-buckle, the combination with the frame stamped up from sheet metalwith the oppositely-arranged transverse openings, the tongue carried bythe frame, the pivotpin passing through the tongue having reduced endsreceived in openings in each side of the frame, of the independentlock-case secured in the frame and having the trans-- verse channelregistering with the transverse openings in the frame, the 1ocking-boltsliding in said channel and having the ends with in the opening in theframe, and the pin carried by the bolt working in a slot in the bottomof the frame for limiting the movement of the bolt, and the tumblers forholding the bolt.

2. In a lock-buckle, the combination with the sheet-metal frame formedwith the ears at each side, the tongue pivoted thereon, of theindependent tumbler-ease secured in the frame and having the transversechannel in the lower face, the locking-bolt sliding in said channel,having the spring-pressed lockingpin for holding the bolt in unlockedposition and the tumbler carried by the block for holding thelocking-bolt in locked position.

MATTHEW XV. LYNCH.

Witnesses:

M. G. CLARKE, ARTHUR M. PARDEE.

